Petition May Derail Split Of Century Village

A plan that would divide the politically powerful Century Village condos in Pembroke Pines between two county commission districts could be dead following a petition drive by local activists.

Broward County Commission Chairwoman Lori Parrish promises to make sure the condos remain in one district rather than be divided between her district and the Hollywood-based district of Commissioner Suzanne Gunzburger. Democratic activists mounted a massive petition drive to urge commissioners to reject any split.

The fate of Century Village has been one of the most divisive issues in the redrawing of the nine commission districts. The commissioners must redraw the districts in time for this year's elections so each has an equal population based on new census information.

"We are a strong voting bloc, and there is no question that our voice would be less effective if it's divided," said Murray Hirsh, who has led the petition drive. "We're friends of all the commissioners, but we do not want to be divided."

One of the five redistricting maps that commissioners are considering stretches Gunzburger's District 6 westward between Pines Boulevard and Pembroke Road, encompassing about half of Century Village. The other maps put all the condos in Parrish's District 5.

Commissioners will hold public hearings on Tuesday and Jan. 22 in the Government Center in downtown Fort Lauderdale before they decide on the district lines. Both hearings are set for 2 p.m.

Part of the fight involves Pembroke Pines City Commissioner Sue Katz, who wants to run for Parrish's seat in 2004.

Katz is a friend of Gunzburger's and would prefer all of Century Village in one district because it is her power base. Parrish has said she is going to step down and run for property appraiser, but she has other candidates she'd prefer to take her spot.

Parrish said she thought Century Village would be better off divided because it would have a say in electing two commissioners, not just one. But she said she will go along with residents' wishes and has told county planners to redo that version of the maps.

"I figured they'd love to have nine commissioners because they'd have more input," she said. "You have more clout. But if they don't want to be divided, they won't be divided."

Activists in Century Village have gone door-to-door to collect signatures on a protest petition and hope to have several thousand before the commission holds its public hearings later this month.

The condo complex has long been a stop for politicians running not just locally, but also statewide and nationally. About 10,000 registered voters live there, and Century Village is renowned for large voter turnouts.

But Century Village also has been a political hot potato because of its strength. When commissioners first drew districts in 2000 after voters decided to end at-large representation, Century Village was carved into the Davie-based District 4, now represented by Commissioner Jim Scott, as part of the effort to create a Hispanic-dominated district in southwest Broward.

Not splitting Century Village, though, does not end the debate over who will represent it. Other contentious issues remain, such as drawing a Republican-heavy district to favor Scott and whether there should be more than one district that has a largely black population.

Scott Wyman can be reached at swyman@sun-sentinel.com or 954-356-4511.